Page 78 of The Dead Come to Stay
MacAdams allowed her to finish, and for the silence to stretch. Then he held up the sketch again.
“I care,” he said. “Ronan Foley wasn’t who he pretended to be. His real name is Rhyan Flannery, and he was mixed up in antiquities trafficking, art theft, forgery and maybe worse. He was also involved with this woman—or girl.Yousay you didn’t know him. If it’s true, then you have every reason to help me—because this woman is missing, and I think she’s in trouble.”
Ava’s cool exterior had softened when she spoke about the refugees. Now it shattered. She looked no different to the unpracticed eye, but there was a human under there.
“A forger. An art thief,” she repeated. “And you say he was Stanley’s partner?”
“Andthat he called your house. Repeatedly,” Green added.
MacAdams watched the import of that sink in before adding, “There’s a connection here somewhere between money andartifacts and murder andthatgirl. If you really want to help, then it’s about time your husband finished his meeting.”
Ava nodded. It was slight, but resolute. Then she turned around and walked out of the room.
“Follow me, please.”
Chapter 23
Thursday, 10:00
Jo’s hands felt clammy and her heart kept hopping into her throat. She rested one hand on the cloth-draped and carefully wrapped portrait of Evelyn Davies, and used the other to steady herself against the elevator walls.
“Ready?” Gwilym asked when they arrived on the right floor.Fortuitous, Fortinbras, for fuck’s sake.
“Nope, but here goes,” she said and they lifted the painting and carried it to Arthur’s door. Gwilym rang the bell, but scarcely needed to—the door swung open to reveal an impeccably suited Arthur, Chen in vermillio, and two excitable dogs.
“Welcome, welcome! Come in.” Arthur helped them deposit the painting against the far wall. Jo noted thatHidinghad already been taken down and was sitting next to the breakfast table. There were also four glasses of champagne set out and sparkling in the sunlight. Introductions were made and hands shaken, then Gwilym gave Jo a nudge.
“Ready when you are, Hercule,” he said with a wink.
Jo nodded, and the two of them removed the cover and liftedEvelyn into place. She heard Arthur gasp behind her; he’d never seen Evelyn before. The look on Chen’s face was more subtle, like welcoming an old friend. Jo wasn’t planning to give Evelyn up, though; this was official business.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming,” she said, feeling weirdly like she was about to give the garden opening address again. “We’re here today to solve a missing persons mystery.”
Solve /sälv/ verb: to find an answer to, explanation for, or means of effectively dealing with a problem.Jo took a breath, and carried on.
“Evelyn Davies fell in love with her brother-in-law in 1906 or early 1907. They started as confidants. They wrote letters. In 1908, Evelyn is pregnant, dies and is buried in the Ardemore House basement, her painting is partly ruined in an acid attack and her lover and her sister leave the house forever. We don’t know what happened to the baby.”
Missing /'misi?/ adjective, verb, noun: unable to be found, to feel the lackof,someone who is absent—lost.
Jo clasped her hands.
“My mother kept secrets. Aiden kept secrets, too. But I think Aiden meant his to be solved.” She nodded at Chen. “What did he tell you about the eyes?”
“He asked me to paint them looking a different direction—just slightly—from where they should’ve been looking,” Chen said. “It gives her an uncanny appearance.”
“Is that what it is?” Arthur asked. “Something is so strange and haunting about her.”
“You’re not wrong,” Gwilym said. He had managed to befriend Hans, who was resting in his arms. Jo bounced slightly on her heels. It was coming down to it, and the anticipation was sending little sparks of electricity all through her.
“Aiden meant to giveHidingback to Chen. He planned to take Evelyn here, and I believe he meant her to be hung on this wall, just as she is right now. He requested Chen paint the eyes like this for a specific reason.So. . .” Jo walked to where thesmall party stood, then turned to face the portrait with them. “What is Evelyn supposed to be looking at?”
“The mantelpiece,” Gwilym said.
“No,” Chen corrected gently. “What’sonthe mantelpiece.”
All eyes turned to look at the Russian doll.
“You told me that was a gift from Aiden,” Jo said.
